Two Jailed for Smuggling Migrants on Yacht to UK
Denys Khvatkov, 19, and Bohdan Lutskyi, 39, were locked up at Norwich Crown Court today (5 November) after admitting to smuggling people into the UK. The pair were caught with two Albanian men who had no right to enter the country.
Border Force Sting After Dutch Coastguard Tip-Off
- The men were nabbed following a tip from the Dutch coastguard about a suspicious yacht sailing from the Netherlands.
- A Border Force cutter tracked the vessel as it headed towards the Suffolk coast.
- After the yacht docked at Southwold Harbour just after 9pm, officers swooped and searched the boat.
- Onboard were Khvatkov, Lutskyi, and two Albanians without UK entry clearance.
£5,000 Smuggling Fee and Fake Yacht Training Cards
Khvatkov, spotted steering the yacht, and Lutskyi, seen trying to hide the vessel, were arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration. Further investigation uncovered that the Albanian men paid £5,000 each to be smuggled into Britain.
Officers also found fake International Yacht Training cards on Khvatkov and Lutskyi, falsely claiming expert sailing experience.
Officials Slam Ruthless People Smugglers
Home Secretary Priti Patel: “These men are shameless, ruthless criminals who have made money by smuggling people into the UK illegally. Our law enforcement agencies are disrupting these gangs at home and abroad. We will not tolerate lawbreakers who elbow the vulnerable aside through international crime. We’re fixing a broken asylum system that welcomes those in need by safe, legal routes but clamps down hard on illegal entries.”
Clandestine Channel Threat Commander Dan O’Mahoney: “This was a ruthless people smuggling attempt for profit thwarted thanks to swift UK-Dutch cooperation, Border Force’s fast response, and Immigration Enforcement’s hard work. We’re committed to bringing organised immigration criminals to justice.”
The court also ordered the yacht and all its contents to be confiscated and sold, with proceeds going back to the public purse. Meanwhile, the two Albanian migrants have lodged immigration applications that are now being processed.
